Relative Happiness (38 page)

She was alone, waiting on the porch. She didn't think of anything or see anything. The ocean kept her company.

Car lights turned onto the street and the taxi pulled up. He got out, ran up the steps and stopped. He looked at her. He wore her sweater.

“Lexie—”

“Don't talk—hold me.”

It was morning. Sunlight poured in the window. She had to get up and call Mom to tell her what time she'd pick up Joshua. She threw off the duvet. Adrian grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. “Come here. Where are you going?”

She snuggled up close again. “I thought you were asleep.”

He rubbed her arm. “I can't sleep. I'm afraid you won't be here when I wake up. Just stay with me. I need you.”

Adrian was a gentle lover. It felt wonderful to have someone hold her. She'd been so lonely. He kissed her over and over, softly. This is what she needed, someone to love her. She wanted him to take care of her.

“Thank you Lexie,” he'd murmur against her mouth between kisses.

“I love you Adrian.”

As he ate his breakfast, she went to get Josh. Mom met her at the door with a wide smile on her face.

“How are you darling?”

“Wonderful.”

“Bring him over for supper why don't you?”

Lexie gave her a look. “Mom. I don't want to drag him all over town right away. We need some time together.”

“Of course,” Mom nodded. “You're right, but if I can help in any way, you know, take Josh in the evening if you want to go out, you only have to say.”

She leaned over and kissed her. “Thanks, Mom.”

She carried Josh down the steps. She looked over her shoulder. “By the way, tell Beth not to call me. I don't have time for twenty questions.”

“I'll tell her you said that.” Mom blew her a kiss.

“This is Joshua. Say hi to Adrian, honey.”

Adrian reached out to shake his hand. “Hello Joshua.”

Joshua hid behind her leg and wouldn't look at him.

“Sorry about that,” she laughed. “He's not used to a lot of men I'm afraid, only his uncle Rory. We're a family of women.”

“I remember.”

“Do you want to watch
The Little Mermaid
, sweetie?” Josh nodded against the back of her knee.

“I'll just get him organized and be right back.”

“I'll pour you a cup of coffee and start these dishes,” he smiled.

Oh, this was so much fun, the three of them playing house.

Josh and Sophie settled in on the big sofa with a juice cup and crackers and laughed at Sebastian, the hermit crab. Adrian and Lexie sat across the table from each other in the kitchen and held hands.

“Can you believe this?” she grinned. “It's us. Together. Do you know how often I wanted this to happen?”

Adrian smiled at her. “Really?”

She drank him in. “Yes. And I always wanted to do this.” She reached over and put her hand through his hair to brush it off his face.

He kissed her hand. “We belong together. I always want to be with you.”

“Even when I have to go to work?”

“Even then.”

They laughed. “Marlene will be happy.”

That night in bed, as Adrian held her, he asked about Joshua's father.

“Was he someone you were with for a long time?”

“No.”

“Why did you break up?”

“He left.”

Adrian looked down at her with a worried frown. “Were you upset? That must have been awful, to leave you when you were pregnant. How could he do such a thing?”

She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to talk about it. She hugged him tighter. “It doesn't matter now. I have Josh, and now I have you. What more do I need?”

They went for a walk on the beach the next morning. Josh chased around after sea gulls and tried to make them come to him, but they were too high. They talked about how this would work—where they'd live and how they'd manage their children.

“I have to go back soon and tell Mom what's happened,” Adrian said. “I told her I'd be away until I knew where I stood with you.”

They walked arm in arm, over the hard sand. “So she knows about me?”

“Yes.” He smiled at her. “I told her all about you. She wants to give you a big kiss, for being so sweet to me.”

She looked up at him. “It was my pleasure.”

He kissed her quickly, then stopped and did it properly. “No. It's all mine.”

They walked back to the house. A car drove by and suddenly screeched its brakes, which startled them. Lexie glanced over and there was Donalda, sitting behind the wheel, looking as if she'd seen a ghost.

She rolled down the window.

“
Adrian
?”

“Hi.”

Lexie pointed at him. “Remember that guy I had a date with?”

Donalda rolled up her window and laid rubber, as if to get as far away from her as fast as possible. Poor Donalda.

Lexie took Josh over to her mother's house. “Thanks for this, Mom.”

“No problem. You two need some alone time.”

“I know, we have to make some plans. Why don't you bring him over about four, and we'll have supper together.”

“Sounds good. Can't wait.”

Lexie ran down her mother's back steps just as Beth's van pulled up in the driveway. All the girls were asleep in their car seats.

Beth smiled at her. “Hi, I was just passing and I saw Betsy. So, tell me—how's it going with lover boy?”

“He's wonderful. He's so considerate of my feelings. It's like he doesn't want to break me or something.”

“God. What a drag!”

Lexie hit her on the arm. “Get lost. We aren't all in heat.”

“I know. Poor you.” She glanced in the rear view mirror. “Oh, hell, they're about to wake up. Have to dash.” She blew her a kiss and zoomed out of the driveway in a hurry.

Lexie muttered, “Huh. I'll show you passion.” She drove home and ran into the doorway of the living room out of breath. She started to unbuttoned her shirt.

“Hurry up and take off your clothes.”

Adrian threw his magazine in the air and chased her up to the stairs.

“I have to go and put the oven on,” she laughed, as Adrian tried to keep her in the bed.

“I want to snuggle. Please.”

“Two more minutes.”

She held him close and listened to his heart beat. This was so nice, so peaceful. She needed this. But she still had to put the oven on if they were going to have pot roast for supper.

“All right. I'll give you two minutes. Then you have to get back up here and give me a hug.” He looked at his watch and put his hands behind his head. “Starting now.”

She giggled, grabbed her robe and threw it around her. She ran downstairs and turned on the oven.

The doorbell rang.

God, Mom's early.

She ran to the door and opened it. “It's not four yet,” she laughed.

Joss was standing there.

Chapter Twenty-one

Her mouth dropped open. She grabbed the front of her robe and held it in front of her, as if to protect herself.

“Joss. My God.” Her heart pounded. It was so painful, she wanted it to stop.

He gave her that gorgeous lopsided grin and looked her over from top to bottom. “Hi, Lexie.” He put his hands in his jeans pockets. “I'm glad to see I have the right house.”

She practically screamed at him. “Why are you here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

Her pulse banged in her ears. “What for? Are you crazy?”

He didn't say anything.

So she did scream at him. “You can't just show up now. What are you doing to me?”

He took his hands out of his pockets and rubbed his hands together. “Look, Lexie. I didn't want to scare the life out of you. I just wanted to talk.”

Her tears scalded her eyes. “About what!?”

“Lexie, whoa. Maybe I should go.”

It was the first time she ever saw him look unhappy. She couldn't just yell at him by the door. She didn't know what to do. Then she heard Adrian call out, “Time's up.”

She looked over her shoulder and yelled back up the stairs. “I'm coming.”

“Hey. Three's a crowd. I'll go.” He turned around.

She reached out to grab his sleeve. “No! Wait. I'm sorry. You just gave me such a surprise. I didn't mean to yell at you.”

“Look, Lexie, if you have someone else, all you have to do is tell me. Are you married?”

“No. No. It's not that.” She tried to think. And then she didn't think. “Could you wait in the kitchen till I get dressed?”

“I don't want to make trouble.”

She pulled him in the door. “It's no trouble. Just go to the kitchen and stay there. I'll be right down.”

He shrugged. “Okay, then.” She pointed the way and he walked down the hall.

Lexie's mind was a blank. She ran upstairs, went into the bathroom and threw cold water on her face.

She heard Adrian say, “You're a minute late.”

She ran into the bedroom and sat on the bed.

“Adrian, I know this sounds weird, but someone has shown up and I have to talk to them in private. I didn't know they'd be here, so it's a big surprise. But I really need to talk to this person, and if I don't do it now, it may be my only chance.”

He looked confused, but said, “Well, sure, don't worry about it.” He got out of bed. “I'll get dressed and go for a walk. How long do you want me gone?”

“A couple of hours, maybe.”

“All right.” He looked so sweet as he gathered up his things. He was always so considerate. She went right up to him and kissed him hard.

“I love you Adrian. Don't ever doubt that.”

He held her for a minute. “Are you in trouble, Lexie? Is there anything I can do?”

She kissed him again, as if to give herself courage. “I'm not in any trouble.”

He put on his jeans, threw his sweater over his head, shoved his feet in his loafers and grabbed his jacket.

“Could you go out the front door?”

He nodded. She hugged him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He left.

She washed her face again. She splashed the water over and over as if to clear her head. She grabbed her jeans and the first t-shirt she saw, stopping at the top of the stairs to take several deep breaths. This couldn't be happening.

When she went into the kitchen Joss stood by the sink, looking out at the view through the window.

She looked at him. God, she didn't want him here. He frightened her. He set her on fire and she didn't want to burn.

He turned and smiled. “Did your friend leave?”

She nodded.

“Is this your house?”

“Yes.”

“It's nice.”

“Thanks.”

He kept his eyes on her. Stop it. Stop it.

“What do you want, Joss?”

He put those hands back in his pockets. “I told you. I wanted to see you.”

“Why now?”

“Can I sit down?”

She realized she was as rigid as plank. She needed to relax. She also had to calm down and stop being so rude. She blew out a big breath of air. “I'm sorry. Of course, you can sit down. Would you like something to drink?”

“No thanks.”

He walked across the kitchen and they sat. Her heart raced. She tried to inhale slowly. “What did you want to see me about?”

“I wanted to see if you were going out with anyone.”

“You stroll in
now,
to ask me for a date?”

He gave a little laugh. “Yeah. Basically.”

She stared at him.

“Look, Lexie, I'm not good at explanations. I'm a pretty simple guy. I just wanted to see if you remembered me.”

To borrow a line from Susie, as if she could forget.

“Yes, of course I remember you. But the last time I saw you, you were on your way to Alaska, to rock the world of about a hundred other women. That's what you do best isn't it? That's what you made clear from the start.”

He looked down at the floor. “I suppose you're right. That is the way I've lived my life. But a man can change.”

She watched him. “How did you find me, Joss?”